The many faces of macrophage activation.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
David M Mosser
Publications and source records attributed to David M Mosser.
The modulation of macrophage activation by tyrosine phosphorylation.
Activated macrophages are a critical component of our antimicrobial armamentarium. Unfortunately, the lipid mediators and free radicals that these cells produce are not only toxic to potential pathogens, but also to the host. Thus the modulation of these activities can mitigate an overzealous immune response and thereby prevent host cell injury. Two families of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) in macrophages, the RON/STK and the Tyro3 families of protein kinases, will be examined in this review with an emphasis on their roles in modulating the effector functions of activated macrophages. Both families of receptors are capable of down-regulating the inflammatory response of macrophages to lipopolysaccharide, and both families of RTK's are structurally related. An analysis of the intracellular domains of RON/STK and Tyro3 reveal a common multi-substrate binding site, which can recruit common signaling molecules such as growth factor receptor bound 2 (Grb2) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K). The observations relating to a modulation of macrophage effector mechanisms by these receptors open unexplored avenues for the development of pharmacological immunomodulators with the potential to exploit elements of this common pathway.
Animals↗
Cutting edge: biasing immune responses by directing antigen to macrophage Fc gamma receptors.
An immune response can deviate toward either a Th1- or Th2-like response. In this work we examine the contribution that activated macrophages and IgG Abs make toward this deviation. The use of activated macrophages as APCs resulted in a strong polarized T cell response that was predominated by IFN-gamma. However, when Ag was targeted to FcgammaRs on these macrophages, the T cell response was reversed and biased toward a Th2-like response. This Th2-like phenotype was stable and was retained when the T cells were subsequently restimulated under nonbiasing conditions. The T cell biasing and its reversal via FcgammaR was also observed in vivo. Mice vaccinated with IgG-opsonized OVA made high levels of IgG Ab of the IgG1 isotype. These studies demonstrate that the ligation of FcgammaR on activated macrophages can reverse the Th1 biasing that occurs as a result of innate immune responses to microbial products.
Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
Modulating macrophage function with IgG immune complexes.
Macrophages respond to bacterial products by releasing a large array of inflammatory mediators. We demonstrate that, in the presence of IgG immune complexes, macrophages produce high levels of IL-10 and virtually no IL-12, when they are exposed to bacterial products. The production of IL-10 by these cells can dampen innate inflammatory responses to microbial products, such as LPS. This alteration in macrophage cytokine production can also influence an adaptive immune response, preferentially inducing Th2-type immunity. Thus, immune complexes change the physiology of activated macrophages, converting them to anti-inflammatory cells that induce Th2-like immune responses. We have termed these cells type II activated macrophages.
Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
A novel phenotype for an activated macrophage: the type 2 activated macrophage.
Activated macrophages were used as antigen presenting cells (APCs) to determine the extent to which these APCs could influence an adaptive immune response. We show that activated macrophages induced a strong polarized Th1-like T cell response that was predominated by IFN-gamma. However, when antigen was targeted to Fcgamma receptors on these macrophages, their phenotype changed, and they now induced a T cell response that was predominated by IL-4. The initial biasing by activated macrophages toward a Th1-like response was a result of activation of the innate immune response, as macrophages from MyD88(-/-) mice failed to produce Th1-inducing cytokines. The reversal of the Th1 biasing was a result of FcgammaR ligation, as macrophages lacking the FcR common gamma chain failed to reverse this biasing. To show that this biasing could occur in vivo, mice were injected with activated macrophages or activated macrophages whose FcgammaR had been ligated with an irrelevant immune complex. Mice injected with FcgammaR-ligated macrophages made more antibody than those receiving conventionally activated macrophages, and the antibody was predominantly of the IgG1 isotype. These studies demonstrate that FcgammaR ligation on activated macrophages can change the phenotype of these APCs to cells that preferentially drive a Th2-like response. We have termed these cells type 2 activated macrophages.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗